AMANDA Holden did not see her new baby for three days after giving birth because she was so ill, it has been disclosed.

Holden, 40, gave birth to her second child, Hollie Rose, on Monday after going into labour a month early and spent three days in a critical condition.

The actress and television presenter is now stable after being treated in an intensive care unit for three days but is expected to take a while to recover as a result of complications following the emergency Caesarean.

Her husband Chris Hughes yesterday told of his gratitude to medical staff who saved the Britain's Got Talent judge from dying while giving birth.

Mr Hughes, married to Holden since 2008, has been with her since she was admitted to hospital on Monday morning and is indebted to the medical team.

A spokeswoman for the couple said: "Chris would like to thank all the medical staff and everyone who has been involved in Amanda's care."

Her new daughter, Hollie Rose Hughes who weighed in at just over 6lbs, is said to be healthy. But no details of 40-year-old Holden's condition have been released, but she is expected to make a full recovery.

The TV star, who had been due to be on the BGT panel at auditions this week, already has a daughter, Lexi. But complications during that pregnancy with a low lying placenta meant she gave birth by Caesarean section.

The couple's spokeswoman said no further details about Holden's medical condition would be released until the star herself gave the go-ahead.

"Until Amanda is in a position to indicate what she wants to say, there's no more information I can give," she said.

She is thought to have suffered considerable blood loss - one of the most common complications during childbirth - which would necessitate a transfusion.

Holden is thought to have been in good health throughout this pregnancy, but has had difficulties in the past.

There was heartbreak just under a year ago when she lost a child seven months into a pregnancy.

And in 2010 she suffered the ordeal of a miscarriage.

Holden - who has starred in TV's Cutting It and has had West End stage acclaim for her role in a revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie - married music producer Hughes in 2008.

She had previously been married to comic and actor Les Dennis.

Holden's health worries came to light on Tuesday when she was absent from the Britain's Got Talent audition in Blackpool.

She had been due to join fellow judges Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams on the panel at the seaside town.

Alison Griffin, spokeswoman for Holden and her husband, Chris Hughes, said the star is expected to make a full recovery.

She said: "Hollie Rose Hughes was born on 23 January 2012.

"She is healthy and weighed in at 6.1lb but Amanda has been in a critical condition for the past three days.

"She is now stable and we expect her to make a full recovery very soon. We thank you for respecting their privacy at this time."

Simon Cowell, a former colleague, tweeted: "Congratulations, thrilled for @Amanda_Holden."

Holden, who was forced to pull out of Britain's Got Talent auditions earlier this week, already has a daughter, Lexi. Complications during that pregnancy with a low lying placenta meant she gave birth by caesarean section.

Patrick O'Brien, a consultant obstetrician from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said bleeding during or after birth is one of the most dangerous complications patients can face.

He said there are several reasons a woman might bleed after the baby has been delivered, including tearing, the placenta becoming trapped inside, or because the uterus has not contracted after the birth and the blood vessels bleed heavily.

He said: "The risk of bleeding is related to how the baby is born. It is lowest with a successful vaginal birth, it is higher with a planned Caesarean section and highest with an emergency caesarean.

"Bleeding can be very dangerous and is the highest cause of dying in childbirth. Women can end up with blood transfusions and in rare occasions hysterectomies."

He said such complications do not affect the baby but it is possible for the placenta to separate from the womb before the birth, which can be very serious for both mother and child.

He said: "This is called an abruption and it is a problem for the mother and the baby.

"When the placenta comes away, there is less oxygen for the baby. Little abruptions are not uncommon but a big abruption can be very serious and dramatic.

"You can have a lot of bleeding, which is uncommon.

"However, people bounce back. They lose a lot of blood but it is replaced with transfusions and they get better quickly with no long-term effects."

He said such complications should not deter women from having future children.

"It is usually a one-off. However, there are underlying blood conditions a woman can have and we do a lot of tests for those."